Once in a Lifetime
by Lilia Lockheart
Summary: It's been years since Ladybug and Chat Noir have started fighting together. It's been months since Hawk Moth stopped his akuma attacks. It's been years since Marinette and Adrien have spoken to each other. And in a few months, they'll find themselves in a place where they never thought of venturing before...
1. The Years After

I was inspired by so many fan art, that I _had to_ write. My creative flow was just unstoppable, and it pained me to go to sleep without writing first.  
So, here's hoping that this fanfic will turn out alright.

*clicks enter and runs to hide underneath blanket*

* * *

 **I. The Years After**

"Happy birthday!"

The blonde-haired boy stood by the doorway, shielding his eyes from the sudden burst of light at the center of the room. Once he recovered from the mild shock, a bright smile appeared on his face.

"No way…Nino…this is…"

Nino came to stand beside him, patting the birthday boy's back as everyone gave him a sly smirk. The two walked over to the cake placed at the center of the group. All eyes were on the blonde boy as he took a minute to ingrain the moment into his memory.

 _This was just wonderful._

"Happy birthday, man."

As soon as the words left his best friend's mouth, he blew the candles out.

As of today, Adrien Agreste was officially 21.

He scanned the faces of his cheering ex-classmates.  
Nino. Alya. Kim. Rose. Juleka. Max. Ivan. Everyone that he went to high school with were all here.

Well, almost everyone.

As if sensing what he was thinking, Nino spoke up,

"Mylène couldn't take off from her medical internship; Alix has been training for a marathon; Sabrina couldn't attend cause Chloé wasn't coming, and Chloé…well, you know the deal with that one," he laughed as he said his last words.

"Eh, what about–"

"Nathanaël has been overseas since graduation, so no one's really been in contact with him," Alya jumped in.

Adrien simply nodded.  
There was, however, one more person that he had been wondering about.

"Alya, what abo–"

"Let's cut the cake!"  
Kim's exclamation drowned out the words Adrien was about to say.

Everyone had started to pile around the table, fighting for a piece of cake (though there shouldn't be any worry since the thing was huge). He let out a small sigh. Aside from Nino and Alya whom he saw every couple of days, it had been years since he had seen his old classmates. Despite the physical changes, he was surprised to find they were all still the same.

Mostly.

Kim, who was still boisterous and daring, seemed to have toned down his hot-headedness. Ivan appeared more friendly, ditching the usual scowl he always had back when they went to school together. Of course, Adrien wondered if Mylène had anything to do with it. Rose and Juleka were the same: inseparable and somehow closer than before.

Adrien wasn't too worried about Chloé or Sabrina missing out; he saw them practically every day as they all attended the same university. He wasn't all too close with Nathanaël (or any of them for that matter), but he did remember the boy from when he was akumatized. Adrien chuckled to himself as he reminisced on that day. He was sure the boy resented Chat Noir (so, he guessed that meant him too) for ruining his "date" with Marinette.

…Marinette.

He wondered how she was doing. He hadn't seen her since graduation, and she was never around Alya when she, him and Nino would hang out together (which was weird since the two girl friends were joined at the hip). Since graduation, Alya hadn't mentioned Marinette even once. Adrien assumed the raven-haired girl was too busy nowadays.

He recalled his last interaction with her.

...

 _"A-Adrien!"_

 _He turned to see a petite girl running towards him, clutching a package to her chest._

 _"Salut, Marinette," Adrien greeted._

 _The girl stopped shortly in front of him, cheeks flushed and eyes wide. She took a moment to compose herself, her eyes darting everywhere but in front of her. Adrien knitted his brow in concern when she bent over and closed her eyes. He was about to say her name when she opened her mouth,_

 _"This is for you!"_

 _She held out the package she was holding, her cheeks flushing a deeper shade of red than they were seconds ago. He gave her a small smile, thanking her and taking the package into his hands. She looked at him, her deep blue orbs peering into his bright green eyes. He would've blushed if she were to stare at him for another minute longer, but thankfully she turned away._

 _"U-um…"_

 _Adrien cocked his head to one side, waiting for the girl to speak._

 _"D-do you–"_

 _"Adrien, mon cher! Are you ready to go?"_

 _He noticed Marinette roll her eyes, causing him to silently chuckle. Chloé ran up to them, passing a hard glare at Marinette before sidling up and grabbing his arm. He nervously laughed at the sudden display of affection._

 _"What are YOU doing here? Don't you have bread to make or something," the blonde girl sneered._

 _Marinette opened her mouth to retaliate. But before she had the chance to, Chloé started to squeal._

 _"What is THAT?"_

 _She pointed to the neatly-wrapped package in Adrien's hand, "Don't tell me you gave that to him. A **paysan** should try and keep what little they have to their name instead of buying useless things."_

 _Marinette's face turned red, "Chloé, you–"_

 _Cutting Marinette off once more, Adrien turned to scold his childhood friend._

 _"Knock it off, Chloé. You're getting out of line. Apologize to Marinette!" He brushed the girl off his arm._

 _Chloé, ever the sass queen, gave him a 'hmph!' and turned to walk away._

 _"It's not like I said anything wrong. How can a person of her status ever think about getting with a person like you? Clearly, I'm the better choice for you here," she flipped her hair with her hand and made her way to her car, "I'll text you the meeting place since you seem too…occupied right now."_

 _Once she was gone, Adrien let out a sigh. Nothing good ever happens when Chloé appears._

 _He snapped out of his thoughts and turned his attention to the small girl standing a few feet from him._

 _"Sorry, Marinette. What were you saying?"_

 _The girl let out a small gasp as if she had forgotten he was there. She quickly smiled, but not before he had noticed the sad look in her eyes._

 _"Ah–er, nothing! I-it was nothing. W-well, look at that. I have to go. I'll see you at graduation tomorrow," she waved and ran off._

 _"Ah, wait!"_

 _It was already too late. She had already turned the corner and left._

...

That was the last time they had really spoken to each other. He tried catching her on graduation day so she could continue her sentence. Not wanting to disturb her while she and her parents were taking pictures, Adrien decided to leave it alone.

That would be the last day they would see each other.

The package turned out to be a black and green sweater. He remembered how he felt opening the packaging and feeling the cashmere fabric against his fingers. It was the second most thoughtful gift he had received (second only to the scarf his father had gotten him). He was never able to thank her for it, and sending her a message through Alya just didn't feel right.

"Dude..."

Adrien turned to see all eyes on him, each with a slice of cake in their hands.

"Did you want some, or..."  
Rose held up a plate with a big slice.

Adrien nodded excitedly, "yes!"

Everyone relaxed at his excited expression. They didn't want the birthday boy himself to be sad at his own party.

Nino and Alya exchanged glances throughout the rest of the night as Alya frequently checked her phone. Adrien, of course, noticed their behavior. At one point he wanted to ask them what was up, but decided against the idea in respect to their privacy.

...

The night ended young, just an hour before midnight.

After exiting Nino's apartment (Adrien was still was living in the confines of his father's mansion), Adrien went for a stroll in the park.

"Now, wasn't that nice, Adrien?"

A black, cat-like creature flew out from inside his blazer pocket and floated in front of his face. Adrien went into panic mode as he looked around for someone who could have seen.

"Calm down, birthday boy. It's late in the evening; most of Paris is already in bed sleeping," the kwami smirked.

"Plagg, you still can't pop out like that! What if somebody _happens_ to walk by?"

Adrien let out a sigh as the kwami shrugged.

"Adrien, I'm thousands of years older than you. I'm sure by now I'm able to sense another person's presence."

Adrien shot a half-glare at his kwami, but it soon dissipated into a smirk.

"Since you're here..."

Plagg blinked.

"Plagg, transforme-moi!"

Before the black kwami could refuse, he was already being sucked into Adrien's ring. A brilliant light engulfed the area, and soon standing where Adrien Agreste should be was Chat Noir.

A smirk played on the hero's lips, he took one look at the dark sky and ran.

Adrien loved being Chat Noir. He loved the feeling of power rushing through his veins. He loved the feeling of being able to say the things he wanted to say. He loved the extra confidence boost being Chat gave him.

He loved _being free_.

Chat jumped from rooftop to rooftop, basking in the feeling of the wind kissing his face. His eyes widen as he spotted a familiar red figure in the distance. He could no longer hear his footsteps, only the sound of his heart beating filled his ear.

 _Ladybug._

As if she heard her name, she turned to look at him. Her blue eyes widen as he came closer and closer, stopping a few inches short from her face. Despite the close proximity, she doesn't blush. Rather, her lips formed a sly smile and her eyes narrowed.

"Chat."

And his knees grew weak at the sound of her voice. She pushed him away gently with two fingers to his forehead.

"You're looking as beautiful as ever, my lady," Chat winked.

The heroine rolled her eyes,  
"What are you doing here, Chat? I thought we agreed that it was my turn to patrol today."

Chat took a seat next to where she was standing. He sat cross-legged while his tail swayed behind him,  
"I thought my lady needed me."

Ladybug snorted, "I don't think Paris is in any immediate danger tonight. But," she crouched down next to him so that they were on the same eye level, "thank you for thinking about me."

Chat was oh so glad his mask covered most of his face. His cheeks burned as she ruffled his hair. He bit down on his slight embarrassment and grabbed her wrist to pull her closer to his face,

"There's never a day that goes by when I don't."

And he wasn't lying. He thought about her whenever he could. All these years of fighting together, and he still wasn't used to the pounding in his chest whenever she was near.

She frowned and pulled herself away from his grip—something he was used to by now.

"And how many Parisiennes have you said that to?" she challenged.

"None but you, my lady," he fought back.

She turned and frowned at him again. But this time, he could see the twinkle in her eyes that she couldn't hide. He smiled to himself, knowing that he was the cause of it.

They both turned their faces to look at the view of the city. Everything was quiet, everything was peaceful. It had been so for the past few years. Hawk Moth had strangely diminished his attacks right after their graduation, and they've stopped altogether a year ago. They didn't know what caused the change in Hawk Moth's behavior, but they had their suspicions that he must be planning something grand. They couldn't let down their guard after all those years of fighting him. Which is why they still continue their patrol, albeit less frequently but still a few times a week.

Chat Noir was only thankful he still got to see his lady. Being with her brought out something in him, something that he wasn't aware of until he had met her.

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. Her hair had grown longer, now slightly past her shoulders but was still tied up in her two signature pigtails. His eyes scanned across every curve of her body. She had grown a bit (in places his eyes dare not to stare at for too long), but she was still slim.

She was absolutely breathtaking.

"I think it's fine for tonight."

Chat blinked, realizing he had been too lost in his thoughts to notice that his lady was standing up now.

She looked down at him,  
"Let's go home."

Chat simply nodded. He didn't expect their patrol today to last long, especially with nothing dangerous happening. He was just a bit disappointed that he wasn't able to be with her longer.

It was his birthday for God's sake.

And then his cat ears perked up.

"W-wait, my lady!"

Ladybug paused mid-run and turned around.

"I-it's a beautiful night, don't you think?" He nervously laughed.

She folded her arms across her chest, lips protruding out into a pout,  
"Really, Chat. What is it?"

He gulped. She knew there was something he wanted to say.

"W-well...it's just—it's a special day and I would very much like to hear a phrase coming from Ladybug's mouth herself..."

He fumbled for the right things to say. Would it be acceptable to tell her it was his birthday? Does it even work like that? How wrong does it sound to ask somebody to wish you a happy birthday?

"Chat," she was standing next to him with a face twisted in worry.

 _Damn, I made her worry again._

"It's nothing. It's only...it happens every year anyways. Sorry to stop you," he rubbed his neck.

As if something clicked inside her head, Ladybug's mouth formed an 'o' and she looked down.

Before he could say anything further, the red-suited heroine pulled him in for a tight hug.

Chat stood very still, not wanting to move in fear of breaking the moment.

"Happy birthday,"

She whispered into his ear. He felt himself melt into her arms and hugged her tightly back.

After seconds, she let go. With one last smile, she dashed off into the night.

He looked at the Gare de Lyon clock, watching as the hand finally signaled for it to be midnight.  
He grinned.

 _Just in time._


	2. My Little Heart

Here's chapter two, everyone!

To be honest, I really should be writing my research paper, but this is so much fun to write. Knowing that there's people who are willing to read it helps fuel my motivation to write.

So leave comments, reviews, criticism– _anything_. It lets me know there are people out there who care enough :)

* * *

 **II. My Little Heart**

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

The young woman's ears perked up,

"Here!"

Marinette stumbled over to where a woman dressed in a navy blue skirt-suit stood, checking off what she could only presume to be her name.

"This way, Ms. Dupain-Cheng. Mr. Agreste is a busy man but he has taken this time to schedule an interview with you," the stern woman eyed her, "at least you've dressed appropriately for the occasion."

Marinette mentally praised herself.

She was dressed in a dark red button down dress shirt with short, puffy sleeves, black leggings and red flats. Her black hair was held up in a bun by a pencil.

Marinette has been occupied with building her portfolio, finally getting it to an impressive level. Once she was confident enough, she took the opportunity to reach out to her favorite designer of all time and ask for an internship. She mailed him all of her sketches and resume, and was surprised to find a letter waiting for her three days later with the date and time of an interview.

The assistant led her through the halls of the Agreste Fashion Institute, weaving past frantic workers carrying fabrics and documents. Marinette took it all in.

She better familiarize herself soon; this was gonna be her new workplace.

"Mr. Agreste," the assistant greeted.

"Thank you, Rachel. You may leave."

Marinette didn't dare look up until the door closed behind her. Once it was shut, the young woman timidly glanced at the man sitting behind the desk. His blue eyes studied her before he casted them down to the paperwork laid out in front of him.

"Have a seat."

Marinette did as she was told. Afraid of being rude, she spoke up,

"I-it's nice to finally meet you, sir. My name is Marinette."

He didn't say a word. The only thing that allowed her to know that he was listening was the slight nod of his head. The man continued writing, leaving the room in intoxicating silence. Marinette let her eyes roam the office.

The room was big. There were piles of documents stacked on each side of the mahogany-wooden desk. Behind his seat was a huge window overlooking Paris. The view of the Eiffel Tower can be seen.

 _Amazing._

The room was nicely decorated. Issues of fashion magazines laid neatly on the coffee table in the corner; pictures of various models were hung up. Marinette recognized the ensembles the models wore were Gabriel's designs. She looked to his desk and noticed a tiny, white picture frame sitting near the desk lamp. A tuff of blonde hair could be seen from where she was sitting. She sharply inhaled.

 _Adrien._

How many years has it been since she's seen him? How many years have they last spoken to each other?

…How many years has it been since her hopes were crushed?

"What do you think about this piece?"

Snapping her out of her thoughts, the pale blonde-haired man passed her a sketchbook. Looking down, she saw a rough sketch of an evening gown. The dress was covered entirely with lace, sequins embroidered along the sweetheart neck. The length of the gown was long, with a slit on the left side. Something like a belt was draped over the waist of the dress.

Marinette squinted.

"Is this a belt?"

"I'm assuming that it is. The person who created the sketch wanted to add in a belt or a bow but I'm lost as to what it is supposed to be. It seems that she, herself, does not know," Gabriel let out a disappointed sigh.

Marinette pursed her lips in thought,

"I can see where she is coming from with the idea. However," she pulled out the pencil she used to keep her hair up in a bun and began erasing, "it might be better if this is used as a fabric to tie to the neck. Of course, this would then change the neckline slightly, but because of the awkward positioning here, the wisest decision should be to bring this up, letting it become a halter dress but still keeping this sweetheart neckline–"

Marinette froze. The sketch was now filled with her handwriting and new marks. She hadn't realized that the designer himself hovered over her, looking at the revised sketch.

She nearly jumped out of her seat,

"I-I-I'm so sorry! I hadn't realized–I just, sorry about the sketch!"

Gabriel gave her a bewildered look. Was there a need for her to overreact in such a manner?

He cleared his throat, "This is a better alternative to the original design. But let's say we wish to keep the designer's idea for the belt. I believe that we can wrap this around once–no, twice, and then bring it up to create the halter top."

Marinette watched as he began erasing and sketching.

"Et ça?" he handed the sketchpad to her.

It was nothing like the original design. What was on the paper now was a mixture of his and her inputs.

And it was magnificent.

"This is…" she breathed.

"Judging from the look on your face, you seem to be content with the design."

"'Content' isn't even the word I would use, sir," Marinette let slip.

Her face immediately flushed pink,

"I-I mean–"

She turned to see a tiny–and she means _tiny_ –smile form on Gabriel Agreste's lips before it disappeared.

"Your internship will begin tomorrow at 9 o' clock. I expect to see you here and ready for your first day" he turned back to whatever document he was working on before.

Marinette couldn't believe the words he had just said. She wanted to pinch herself, just to make sure her senses were working correctly.

"Eh…what about the interview?"

Gabriel looked up at her and was silent for a moment while he stared at her with his blue eyes,

"Why go through trifles when you've already proven yourself? Your portfolio was almost flawless; your designs are innovative and above par; you had just shown me that you know exactly what you're doing.. And don't think I forgot about the bowler hat you designed while you were still in high school. With a little bit more experience, you could make it big in the fashion industry."

Marinette's heart thumped quicker the more he went on.

"Now if you're done with the tedious questions, Ms. Dupain-Cheng, I will see you tomorrow."

Marinette stood up and stammered a 'thank you'.

She quickly rushed out the door, almost tumbling into the assistant–Rachel–from earlier. The woman gave her an odd look, but nodded in acknowledgment. Marinette wondered if she was listening the entire time.

…

"You did it, Marinette!"

A tiny fairy-like creature flew out from her small cross-body bag (used solely to store her phone, a couple of dollars and her small companion), landing next to the plate of cookies Marinette placed on the table.

The tiny, fuchsia kwami began to delightfully devour the snack.

"I was so nervous, Tikki. I wasn't prepared for him to ask me about the sketches," Marinette landed facedown onto her pillow.

"But...you managed...to impress him either way," the kwami said between gulps, "You should be more confident, Marinette. You managed to get the internship because you're capable."

The young woman rubbed the kwami's head. Tikki was the sweetest. Marinette knew she should listen to her more; she was a hundred times wiser—and _older_ —than she was.

"What are you going to do for the rest of the day?" Tikki flew up to her face.

"I have to call Alya. I promised I would let her know as soon as the interview was over," Marinette picked up her cell phone and glanced over the numerous texts she received.

They were all from her auburn-haired friend.

Tikki listened as Marinette spoke happily to her best friend over the phone. She looked at the wall where pictures of a certain green-eyed boy used to be. She never understood why Marinette had rushed home that one day and taken them all down. When Tikki questioned her chosen, a strained smile appeared on the girl's face,

 _"Maybe it's time to face reality, Tikki."_

Of course, Tikki had heard what Chloé had said to Marinette. Of course she knew how much it stung her. But it couldn't have been the reason for Marinette's sudden behavior.

No, the tiny kwami was positive it was something else.

"Tikki, I'm going to meet up with Alya for dinner. But first I gotta head to the bookstore. Do you want to come, or?"

Normally, Marinette wouldn't even ask. Having Tikki by her side was a given. But with the few disturbances and attacks during the last year, she figured Tikki wouldn't need to be with her every minute of every day. Not that she minded; Marinette loved the little kwami, and her presence was soothing to her. She felt safe with Tikki by her side.

And Tikki knew this.

"I'll come with you," Tikki stated as she stuffed the last bit of cookie into her mouth.

Marinette opened her bag, closing it up after her kwami settled herself inside. The young woman took one last look around her room before opening the trapdoor on the floor and exiting.

...

The first thing that awaited Marinette was a pair of arms that merrily pulled her into a hug, almost causing her to drop the bag of books (she bought two but opted for the bag anyway cause she liked the design) she had just bought.

"Ohhhhhh, I missed you so much!"

Marinette laughed as her best friend continued to glomp her.

"I've missed you too, Alya," Marinette returned the hug with as much love as possible, "it's been a while."

" _Girl_ , it's been a whole month. What have you been up to?"

Marinette shot her a shy smile.

It _has_ been a while since she last saw Alya. Her wavy, dark auburn hair had grown; it was now past her shoulders. However, her friend had the same pair of truth-seeking eyes since their high school days. Marinette could not have been any more grateful that, that part of Alya did not change.

They had settled down at a corner booth in a small diner. The two women ordered their food and waited until the waitress was gone to continue their conversation from earlier.

"Okay. I am super excited for you. This has been your dream since, what, high school—"

"—Since I was ten, actually"

"Riiiiiiight. My point is you _finally_ achieved it, Marinette," Alya beamed.

Marinette felt a little shy from her friend's praises. She was feeling a little big-headed from Alya's comments.

Their waitress came back out with their dishes, lingering around Alya as she placed her plate down before heading back in. It didn't go unnoticed as Alya turned her head to get a glimpse of the waitress's back.

"Someone's popular," Marinette teased.

Alya playfully rolled her eyes,

"Cute. But not my type."

"She seemed to be interested in you though," Marinette was cutting into her steamed potato.

Alya shrugged, "She could've said something. I like my men _and_ women a bit more straightforward."

Marinette nodded. Alya had a long list of lovers. Her dating history was pretty extensive. She never mentioned her bisexuality to anyone. People just sort of _knew_. Then again, Alya didn't really hide it, especially her crush on Ladybug and whatnot.

Marinette was actually flattered by it.

"Is that why you and Nino are a thing?" Marinette shot a smirk.

Alya laughed, choking on a pea.

"Nino?! That man is the _farthest_ thing from straightforward. Have I mentioned the frivolité that is Nino?"

"Wait, I thought you two were together?"

Alya placed her fork down and dabbed her mouth with a napkin. She looked the raven-haired girl in the eyes,

"We're not. We...had a thing, but that didn't really lead anywhere. It was fun. It was cute, and fun, and wild. But he was too indecisive and I wanted more. He wasn't giving me what I wanted and I sought it out from other people," she looked outside the window, "we decided we were better off as friends. That's how we started out, and that's how we should end it. Not that anything ended, so don't worry. We're still friends and we work well with each other."

Marinette couldn't find any words to say to her best friend.

She wasn't well-versed in this area. Romance was not her expertise. She could do anything else: design an outfit, bake a cake, save Paris from evil...but dating was _not_ part of the package. She was in one relationship after they graduated high school, and that was short lived.

All she could offer was an understanding smile.

"Now don't give me that look, Mari. I'm not heartbroken or anything like that. Have you forgotten who I am?"

Marinette snorted, "Of course. You're Ms. Alya Césaire. You break hearts, not get yours broken."

Alya winked. Marinette knew how resilient the auburn woman was. She didn't have to worry all that much.

But she still does.

"Enough about that. Do you remember what yesterday was?"

Marinette took a second to think. When her mind came up blank, Alya gave a small smile.

"A certain man's 21st birthday."

Marinette stopped chewing. She didn't have to ponder it through. The only other person worth mentioning besides Nino was none other than–

"...how is he?" She managed to swallow.

"He's doing fine. Grown quite a bit since two years ago. But I'm sure you've noticed," Alya took a sip of her water.

How could she not? The man's face and body was plastered over almost every single billboard in Paris.

"Don't you want to meet him?"

Alya's question took her off guard. She hadn't thought about meeting with Adrien again. It's not like she was avoiding him; their paths just never crossed each other's.

"Marinette," Alya continued when she received no reply, "It happened years ago. I'm sure you've moved on and he doesn't remember what happened."

"That kinda hurts if he didn't."

" _Mari_ ," Alya sighed, "I think he was trying to ask about you yesterday. He's been trying every time Nino, him and I hang out. He never gets the chance to, though, because I always change the subject before he could muster out his words."

Marinette rubbed her thumbs across the 'M' on her bag. Tikki must've been sleeping since she felt no movement inside. She wasn't sure she was ready to face the same person who rejected her before she could even confess.

Had she really been obvious with her crush?

 _...actually, never mind._

"I won't force you or anything like that. It's entirely up to you," Alya signaled for the check, "we'll be meeting up this Friday after classes. If you want to come hang out with us, let me know."

The same waitress came over and handed her the check, turning pink when Alya gave her a charming smile and a 'thank you'.

If this were three years ago, Alya would've pounced on her and dragged her to hang out with them. The Alya now was much more forbearing.

Marinette started digging through her bag when Alya raised a hand,

"On me."

The two of them stood up from the booth. Marinette waited for her friend to give the black tray to the waitress, taking note of something scribbled on a piece of paper that was clipped to the receipt.

She shot her a curious look as they both walked out of the diner.

"Gotta compromise a few things, right? Besides, she was cute."

Marinette giggled as the two of them looped arms, walking ahead with no destination planned.

But she didn't mind at all.


	3. Yeux Jacinthe

Hey guys! You're gonna be introduced to a new character in this chapter who may or may not be significant later on. Just to let you guys know, though, she is **not** the equivalent of Lila/Volpina. She's her own character. You may have noticed that this story is progressing a little slowly (I mean, it's only been 3 chapters but...). That's because this is a **slow burn** fic.

Bear with me, lovely readers ~ *clasps hands together in apologetic bow*

Last note: There will be a list of translations for non-English words and phrases at the end of this–and every upcoming–chapter (aaaalll the way at the bottom :3).

* * *

 **III. Yeux Jacinthe**

Adrien leaned against the wall as he waited for the photographer to finish setting up his equipment.

He couldn't believe he was spending his Tuesday afternoon in his father's institute when he could be in his physics class right now. His professor was slightly disgruntled, but understanding that he has his modeling duties to tend to, the elderly woman let it slide with the promise that Adrien would catch up on all the notes he would be missing out on. The young man nodded his head fervently, earning an amused chuckle from the woman.

He checked his watch, wondering if he would be let out in time for lunch.

He wasn't holding his breath on it.

"Adrien! It's so good to see you again," a head of brown hair blocked his view of the set.

" _Bonjour_ , Céleste. You look lovely as always," Adrien smiled.

Adrien was first introduced to Céleste Ricci a year ago. She was a half-French, half-Italian model coming in from Italy. The girl had long, wavy brown hair that ended just above her waist, and big, puppy, brown eyes. When her pictures came out in the magazines, she instantly became popular. Adrien admitted she was attractive, and her personality wasn't too bad either. She was two years his junior, but she handled herself well. They were both cordial with each other, working well together during their shared photoshoots.

"Oh, Adrien. You flatter me so," she raised a hand to her cheek, "I've missed that _boccuccia_ of yours."

She then brought her hands up to cup his face. He tried not to squirm under her touch. He saw the way her brown eyes scanned his face, while hers held an unrecognizable expression.

"Céleste!"

The two pulled apart. Adrien was relieved; he didn't want to be rude to the girl, but there were staff members present and he didn't want rumors swirling around about 'Adrien Agreste's possible flame.' He had enough of those.

"Honestly, Maria. What's got you so worked up?" Céleste folded her arms across her chest.

"Your photoshoot is about to start and you're here fooling around again," her personal assistant–Maria–scolded the pouting girl.

"I'll be there in five minutes," the model waved her hand dismissively.

"You're not modeling with me today?" Adrien raised an eyebrow. He was sure she was scheduled to appear with him since she was here.

"No, _amore mio_. I just wanted to stop by to say hi. I heard you would be in today," she smiled at him. She turned back to Maria who was waiting for her by the entrance doors, "I must, however, be going now. _Vediamo in giro_ , okay?"

" _Sì, fino ad allora_ , Céleste," Adrien waved until the girl was gone.

He let out a breath when the doors finally closed.

"If you're done, lover boy."

Adrien sighed, "Don't start, Marco."

The tall photographer laughed heartily, "She's a beautiful girl, Adrien! You can only be so lucky."

Adrien smirked, "My heart's already taken."

His comment caused the man to gush. He widened his eyes in curiosity as Adrien took a seat on the chair Marco had placed in front of the white background.

"Who's the little lady?" Marco looked through the camera lens, getting a clear view of his model.

Adrien thought about the black strands of hair flowing in the wind, hints of blue undertones could clearly be seen as the moonlight shone on her. An image of a woman swinging from building to building popped up in his head, her bluebell eyes calling out for him to follow her.

Marco grinned. The picture in front of him was almost perfect. He had no clue which lady had stolen the young model's heart, but he could see the effect she had on him.

He waited for the right timing. Marco prided himself as the renowned "one-shot" photographer. Just one photo was all he needed to bring his art to life. He just needed the right timing and the right setting.

Adrien needed a little push. The right push to paint the picture exactly how he wanted it.

"What's her name?"

Marco's question caused Adrien to blush. The redness of his cheeks were soon accompanied by a soft, shy smile.

And with that, it was finished.

 _Ka-chick._

…

 _Clunk._

Adrien reached his hand through the vending machine slot and twisted the cap to his water bottle open.

He loved working with Marco. The man worked fast–though not fast enough for him to catch a late lunch–and didn't require him to sit for plenty of shots.

"Adrien"

Adrien looked up from where he was sitting down.

Nathalie, his caretaker and father's assistant, was flipping through pages in a small notepad.

"You have one more photoshoot and a fitting for today. You'll be able to leave once you finish," the woman's blue eyes bored into him.

Adrien nodded in response.

Over the years, he had seen Nathalie more than his father. She somehow became his stand-in guardian. He had never once seen the woman smile, nor had he heard anything relatively _nice_ from the woman's mouth. He didn't hold it against her; it must be tiring to look after her boss's grown son.

Not that Adrien ever gave her any trouble.

As he listened to Nathalie go over his schedule, he caught a glimpse of bluish-black hair disappearing around the corner of the hallway.

Adrien's eyes grew wide.

 _It couldn't be._

Adrien, half aware of what he was doing, left Nathalie in mid-sentence to chase after the figure. He ignored the grown woman's call as he grabbed onto a slender, snow-white arm. The figure turned around, startled at the sudden contact, and looked at him in confusion and bewilderment.

He found himself staring into two familiar round, bluebell eyes.

Her hair had grown longer, as the strands were now able to rest on the sides of her shoulders. Her cheeks flushed a faint pink tint. The freckles he knew all too well were in front of his eyes. He watched as recognition dawned on her, her eyebrows knitting together and her pink lips forming a small 'o'.

"Marinette…"

The name tasted familiar on his lips. When was the last time he had called her name out loud?

"…Adrien," she muttered, the same shocked expression never fading from her face.

All he could do was give her a soft smile, not wanting to make this any more awkward,

" _Salut_ , Marinette. You've been well?"

And as if she sensed his intentions, she returned his smile,

" _Oui_ , as I hope you have been?"

He chuckled. It was strange speaking to Marinette again. Especially speaking as if they hadn't not seen each other for years.

Strange. But pleasant.

He took in the image of his old friend. Aside from her hair, Marinette looked the same. Of course, he didn't allow his eyes to travel any further from her face–no, that would be rude and ungentlemanly of him–, but he did notice the look of confidence that showed on her expression. She looked good, and he could only assume she felt good herself. She wasn't a little girl anymore. The meek girl he knew before had grown into...a _woman_. She distinctly resembled somebody that he knew too well.

And somehow, the thought of that made his heart skip a beat.

"Adrien?" concerned blue eyes peered at him.

He blushed, not realizing he had been staring at her,

"O-oh. Sorry, Marinette. I was just thinking about something."

He awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck, hoping that comment didn't come across as rude as it sounded. She nodded, not questioning what had him out of it a few seconds earlier.

"Well, I have to go. _Au revoir_ , Adrien," she gave a small wave before heading on her way.

Not until after she walked away did he realize two things:

 **One**. He never asked what she was doing here.  
And **two**. Marinette Dupain-Cheng actually spoke to him without getting nervous.

 _Time does wonders_ , he thought to himself.

"Adrien!"

He sighed, turning back to address the owner of the frustrated voice.

"Sorry, Nathalie…"

…

Adrien was exchanging texts with Nino when a knock came at his door.

"Come in," he said, not looking up from his phone.

"Pardon me, Mr. Agreste. The person that'll be fitting you will arrive in a few minutes."

"Ah, thank you," he smiled at the blonde woman. He recognized her as one of the fashion coordinators at the institute. Though he remembered her face, her name slipped past his memory.

Minutes after she left, another knock came. Assuming it was the tailor he had been waiting for, he got up to open the door.

"Oh..."

 _Yeux jacinthe_...

Marinette stared up at him, equally surprised at the person standing in front of her.

"Marinette.. What are—" his eyes roam to the layer of clothing she had on her arm and the tailoring kit she held in her free hand.

He adjusted himself and smiled, stepping aside to let her come in. Without hesitation, she slipped into the room and he closed the door behind her.

"This is a surprise... I never thought you'd be the one to help me with the fitting."

Marinette hung up the various articles of clothing and laid out the appropriate materials she needed.

"Neither did I. When they told me I would be assisting one of their models today, I was very surprised," she turned to face him with a small smile, "I didn't think it'd be you."

Adrien couldn't help but noticed how she held his gaze and looked him in the eye without turning red. She was still shy, but it wasn't difficult—at least, he didn't think so—for her to speak with him anymore.

And it was to his absolute pleasure.

She peeled her gaze away, looking to the measuring tape she was fiddling with in her hands,

"It's been a few years, hasn't it?"

Adrien nodded.

He hadn't realize how he had actually missed her. Sure, he felt that something was missing when he hung out with Nino and Alya. Sure, he had felt strange when he was left on the sidelines while his two friends flirted with each other. Sure, he sometimes thought about Marinette and how she was doing and wondered where she could have gone in the span of those two years. But the thought never occurred to him how he might've actually missed his old friend.

Or maybe it did, and he just didn't realize it.

But she was here now, and she was about to be closer than ever to him as she touched and measured his body.

And that thought made him feel somewhat shy.

"U-um, should we get started?" Marinette asked hesitantly, not wanting to break him out of his thoughts but knowing that she had other duties to fulfill.

"Oh, er—yes! Let's start," he cleared his throat.

Adrien watched as she pulled out the hair tie that was around her wrist, and swiftly placed her hair in a ponytail. The strands swayed as she walked over to the pile of clothes and plucked something out.

His first thought was that he wanted to pull it.

Adrien took off his light cardigan as she handed him a blazer jacket to put on. He immediately felt hot, praying to the heavens that he wouldn't sweat in the thick material.

The blazer was made out of wool and had a brown, khaki and red plaid color pattern. The arms were slightly longer than how it should have been for him, but the jacket framed perfectly around his shoulders and back.

He watched Marinette, pins in her mouth, carefully pinned fabrics and mentally marked spots on his body. At one point, she looked up at him, unaware that he was looking down at her. She quickly casted her eyes back down when they caught each other's gaze. He chuckled silently in his head.

 _Maybe some things haven't changed._

They worked in silence, moving from clothing to clothing. Marinette had promised she would be quick so he could leave, knowing how the man dreaded doing these things. Adrien, surprisingly, didn't mind and told her to take her time. For once, he wasn't trying to desperately leave.

Deciding to break the silence, Adrien thought to bring up the question that had been stuck in his mind since he saw her earlier,

"So, what exactly are you doing here?"

She looked up at him, taking a needle out from between her lips, and answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world,

"I'm an intern. Your father hired me as of yesterday."

Adrien wanted to slap himself. _Of course_ she was interning here. What the hell else could she have been doing in this kind of place?

"I wasn't expecting to be given the internship right away. I also wasn't expecting them to put me in charge of your fitting," she never once looked up, diligently working on the outfits, "I'm hoping this is a good sign."

"I wouldn't ever expect my father to hire someone this young, let alone have you do work with a model on your first day. Luck is on your side, Marinette."

Her face eased into a soft smile.

"Ladybug's luck..." She murmured, unaware of who she was saying it to.

"Huh?" Adrien widened his eyes a bit.

"O-oh! I meant, I-I'm just a lucky...lady! I'm a lucky lady," she stuttered.

She was so worked up, she accidentally pinned his flesh through the fabric.

"Ow!" He winced.

Marinette paled, "Oh god, I'm so sorry, Adrien—I"

She pushed up the white shirt, scared of it being stained with blood, and ran a finger along the side of his ribcage for the spot where she pricked him. He shuddered under her touch, the coldness of her fingers sending chills up his spine.

"M-Marinette..."

The young woman didn't hear him as she grabbed a bandaid from the kit (ready for situations such as this) and a disinfecting wipe. She gently dabbed the droplet of blood that was forming from the small prick. She placed the bandaid on his skin and softly rubbed over it with her finger.

"I'm sorry..." She whispered sadly.

He swallowed.

There was a woman on her knees. Not just any woman—it was _Marinette_. Her face was right there, next to the front of his pants. He could feel her breath against the skin of his exposed abdomen. To his surprise, he was relishing in the touch of her fingers, feeling more comfortable with her than he thought he would ever feel. Adrien was sure if people saw them in this position, there would be no end to it. He imagined all the possibilities of someone catching them—not like they were doing anything _indecent_.

Oh god. The thought of... _doing things_...with Marinette crossed his mind. He swallowed, quickly brushing the thoughts away before his body became any more heated.

Thank god they were in private.

"It's okay," he finally said to her.

She looked up at him with sad eyes. He could only imagine what might be going through her head right now.

 _Oh god, I messed up on my first day._

 _I injured a model! I injured him and his flawless (Adrien coughed) skin!_

 _They're gonna fire me and blacklist me and skin me over the fire and—_

He chuckled. Those seem like the things Marinette would worry about.

He reached out and rubbed the top of her head, telling her it was fine. Her body immediately stiffened. They stayed there for a moment; him petting her and her gradually relaxing under his touch.

It was then she realized that his stomach was exposed and she was looking directly at his toned abs. Adrien sworn he saw the moment her brain short circuited. She immediately pulled away and fell backwards, lips trying to mutter something but the words were just not coming out.

His hand was placed awkwardly in the air from where her head had been just a few seconds ago. The longer he looked at her, the more contagious her embarrassment was. He felt his own face grow red, and immediately pulled down his shirt and straightened himself up.

 _Dammit, Adrien. Compose yourself._

He cleared his throat. He offered a hand to the blushing woman sprawled on the floor. She hesitantly took it, and allowed the man to pull her up. He didn't let go of her hand, and it didn't seem like she noticed. They gazed at each other just a while longer, feeling the other person's warmth through the hand they were holding.

Finally, Adrien broke the contact, nodding to the garments that were finished with alterations.

"We should get them to the coordinator."

"Huh.. Oh, u-uh, yes..."

She pulled her hand away, and once again Adrien's hand lingered awkwardly in the air. He quickly snapped out of it, not dwelling on the familiar feeling he got from holding her hand.

"I'll help—"

"No, no. That's okay. This is my job anyways," Marinette shot him a bright smile. No hint of what had happened shown on her face.  
Adrien felt a slight disappointment tug at his heart.

Marinette was already at the door, when she turned around,

"It was nice to see you again, Adrien..."

He stuffed his hands into his pockets, "yeah... It was."

"Until next time."

And she was gone.

He ran his fingers through his hair with a sigh. He looked at his reflection in the mirror.

 _Man, what is wrong with me?_

"Oooooh, somebody had a precious moment there."

Plagg seated himself on Adrien's shoulder, "Could've held her hand longer."

"I was helping her up," Adrien glared at him through the mirror.

"Sure. Just that," Plagg snickered, "you're oddly sad now that she's gone."

"I-I'm not sad!" He waved his hands for emphasis.

"If that's what helps you sleep at night," the black kwami shrugged.

Adrien groaned.

"I mean, we've just met again. It's been years since I've seen her. I guess I'm just... _frustrated_ cause we didn't get to talk more..."

To say that he was frustrated was sort of accurate. He was excited to see Marinette again (albeit, more shocked than excited), but it seemed like the latter wasn't too happy about it. The thought of that made him more sad than he thought. Maybe it was under the circumstances in which they met again? Maybe it was cause she was expected to keep a level of professionalism and she couldn't really be herself? He knows they weren't all too close—not compared to Nino, no, and that he hadn't seen her for over two years. But, hell, she was one of his _first friends_. Of course he's gonna be sad that she wasn't as excited as he was about meeting again.

Yeah. That was why.

Plagg yawned, clearly bored of the conversation. The kwami flew back over to where Adrien's cardigan was hung up, and hid himself in one of the pockets.

 _Good talk, Plagg._

Adrien's eyes wavered over to the white shirt he was wearing.  
Aw, shit. This was one of the prototypes.

He quickly changed back into his regular shirt and pulled the door open, running through the halls.

"Marinette!" He called out when he saw her receding back.

His cry caused her to turn her head, not noticing that a figure was rapidly approaching her from the side, carrying a stack of boxes.

It was too late. Adrien's warning didn't come in time. The person bumped into the raven-haired woman, knocking her to the floor. A box stacked on the very top toppled, ready to fall on top of her. Adrien quickened his pace, but not before he reached the two did he get to see what happened next.

With a swift motion, Marinette stopped herself from falling with one hand to the floor. Before the box could hit her, she kicked one leg up—Adrien thanked God that she had leggings on underneath her skirt cause goddamn if she didn't—and sent it flying in the air. She pushed herself up, and caught the box as it landed into her hand.

Adrien's jaw dropped opened.

She had flawlessly executed that entire thing. Not once did the clothing she held in her arm touch the floor, nor did she drop the tailoring kit clenched inside her other hand.

He could only stare at her as she handed the box over to the very man that bumped into her. He quickly apologized and scurried away. She turned her attention to him, laughing when she saw the look on his face.

"What's with that?" She laughed.

"I'm just...you're amazing," he truthfully said.

That caused her to stop and blush.

"It was nothing. Just reflexes..."

 _Reflexes, huh?_

Adrien had never seen someone with fast reflexes like those before, aside from himself—but that's only when he was Chat Noir. The only other person he knew that could have executed that entire scene perfectly, was...

"...Ladybug," he breathed out, eyes wide.

The color suddenly drained from her face, "what?"

 _No, no...Adrien, you're overthinking again._

He shook his head and handed her the white button-down he had in his hand,

"You forgot this. It was partly my fault for not noticing earlier."

She blinked twice before she registered what he had just said.

"Ah... _merci_..."

An awkward silence came over them. Adrien scratched the side of his cheek while Marinette awkwardly shifted her feet.

"Um—"  
"Er—"

They both stopped. And as if they were in sync, they both gestured their hand forward,

"You first," they said in unison.

The two laughed.

Adrien took a good look at her. She had taken out her ponytail, leaving her hair out like it had been before. He noticed the way her lips curled up as she laughed, dimples that he didn't realize she had were suddenly visible to him.

 _That's adorable._

He suppressed the urge to poke her cheeks.

"What time are you off?"

She looked at her watch, "I'll be off around 5. Why?"

He glanced at his own watch, _two hours left_.

"Wanna grab a bite with me afterwards?"

He gave her a genuine smile. He wanted to catch up with her, spend a little more time with her. He had a feeling they would be seeing each other more often now that she's interning for his father. They should establish a good relationship if they were gonna potentially work together.  
That, and he really did miss her.

Marinette seemed a bit taken aback by his invitation. She bit her lip,

"I thought you were going home after this?"

"I'll wait for you if you decide to accept my invitation."

She looked down, seemingly going over some things in her head. He suddenly felt nervous. He thought she would've said 'yes' right away. What if she decides to decline? Cause damn...did she _really_ not enjoy his company?

"Alright, if you're sure you'd like to spend time with me..." She gave him a weak smile.

"If I wasn't, I wouldn't have asked, Marinette," he huffed.

"I suppose that's true," she hummed, "I'll see you in two hours, then."

"Yeah, see you."

He watched her walk away before rounding the corner and heading back to his dressing room.

"Wipe that goofy grin off your face, boy."

With no other comeback, he pushed his kwami's head back into his pocket.

"Oh, shut up."

* * *

 _bonjour_ \- hello (formal) ( _French_ )

 _salut_ \- hello / hi / hey (informal) ( _French_ )

 _oui_ \- yes (French)

 _au revoir_ \- "good bye" ( _French_ )

 _yeux_ \- eyes ( _French_ )

 _jacinthe_ \- bluebell ( _French_ )

 _merci_ \- thank you ( _French_ )

 _boccuccia_ \- "little mouth" ( _Italian_ )

 _amore mio_ \- "my love" ( _Italian_ )

 _vediamo in giro_ \- "see you around" ( _Italian)_

 _sì_ \- yes ( _Italian_ )

 _fino ad allora_ \- "until then" ( _Italian_ )


	4. Slight Discord

Hey, guys!

Thank you so much for the reviews and comments. I'm really happy that people are actually interested in reading this lame fluff .  
Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about you guys. I've been overwhelmed with class and work so I haven't had the time to write. I still try to put some things together during my breaks and commute to college though.

So the reason for the slow update is because classes have started again since the last time I posted. I can't wait till the summer comes *long sigh*

Anyways, here's chapter 4.  
Read, enjoy, squeal, review, rebuke...anything! Shall we begin? :)

* * *

IV. Slight Discord

When she found him, he was sitting on one of the lounge chairs in the parlor, eyes seemingly staring at nothing. Marinette took a moment to calm down. She tightly gripped the strap of her purse, mentally forcing her jitters to stop. She blinked twice, then looked back to where Adrien was sitting now looking at his watch.

He had actually waited for her.

Somewhere in Marinette's heart, she had hoped she wouldn't run into the man. She didn't know how to face him, not after that rejection. So when she came face-to-face with the person that pulled on her arm, she expected it to be anyone but Adrien Agreste. She wasn't the only one who was shocked. She could see the surprise in his chartreuse-green eyes as he stared at her, as if not realizing it was her that he had grabbed. And when he said her name in a tone that was barely above a whisper, it felt as if she would melt.

Two years and he still had such an effect on her. She mentally kicked herself for it. She couldn't say that her feelings for him were the same. Halfway through the fitting, she realized that they weren't as intense as they used to be. Of course, Marinette wondered if that was her way of coping with the situation, though it made sense. In those years of not seeing his face (other than the ones plastered on Paris's billboards), her obsession with Adrien seemed to have died down a lot.

Though her feelings might have died down, her nerves were still present around the male model. He had somehow, with the help of the strange forces of the universe, gotten extremely handsome after their graduation.

And God help Marinette because she simply _cannot_ handle handsome men.

"Marinette..." Tikki's head peeked out from her purse. Her dark-blue eyes peered at her chosen in concern.

"I'm okay," Marinette whispered. The kwami probably felt the slight discord in her heart.

Struggling to calm her nerves, she tried to not focus on Adrien—the guy she once had a major crush on—but Adrien, the _friend_ she hadn't seen in years.

Her efforts were slandered when his lips curled into a smile as she walked over to him.

"Ready?" He asked, eyes twinkling for some unknown reason.

"Yeah," she managed to breathe out.

She tried ignoring the sound of her barrier cracking as they walked out of the Agreste Institute.

...

"Marinette."

"Adrien."

" _Marinette_.."

The green-eyed man gave her a forced glare. Their forks were trained on either corners of the thick slice of steak. Correction: the _last_ thick slice of steak.

"Adrien...aren't you on a diet?" Marinette asked innocently.

"Marinette, why aren't you?" He countered.

Her mouth dropped open, and her grip on her fork faltered. Adrien took the opportunity to quickly slab the meat onto his plate and poured mustard over it. The dark-haired woman wrinkled her nose in repulsion. He knew that she had a certain dislike for mustard, while she knew that he loved the tangy taste on some of his foods. That boy had a weird diet. Marinette giggled, remembering that Nino always teased him for it.

"Whatever happened to 'ladies first'?" Marinette smirked.

"I abide by it. After all, I let you have the first pick, didn't I?" He winked.

Marinette's eyes narrowed. Somehow, he oddly resembled somebody she knew...

"Man, I'm stuffed," Adrien dabbed his mouth with a napkin.

"That was really delicious," Marinette took a sip of her water, "You know how to pick 'em."

"Hey," he raised his shoulders a bit, "the knowledge comes with the job."

Marinette nodded. It wasn't anything new. Even back in high school, Adrien seemed to know a lot about fine dining and breathing. His knowledge was almost as great as Chloé's, the only exception being he didn't attend many parties or events. It was clear to Marinette that Adrien didn't associate with many people. His knowledge didn't do him much good; he never truly had a good time with anyone. He wasn't able to share all that he knew with a friend.

So imagine how Adrien reacted when he first attended Rose's Sweet Sixteen party. Marinette had to hold back her smile, knowing the memory always brought butterflies to her stomach.

...

 _"Rose! This is so—"_

 _"Cute? Awesome? AMAZING?" The perky girl's blue eyes lit up as she stared at Alya expectantly._

 _"...pink," the red-head stuck out her tongue, causing the birthday girl to pout. Alya continued on, "Seriously, did you completely raid the party store's entire supply? I feel bad for the employees that have to explain to the customers how they ran out of every pink balloon, cup and streamer."_

 _"Alya!" Rose's cheeks were turning the same shade as the tiara on top of her head._

 _Alya laughed as she gave the girl a big hug._

 _"Girrrrrrrl, you know I'm playing with you! This is really pretty. I love it."_

 _Rose, seemingly satisfied, moved on to the next person to receive her birthday hug._

 _"Happy birthday, Rose. The place is really beautiful," Adrien couldn't contain his excitement. Nino quietly snickered, knowing how excited his friend was. Aside from the small birthday party his friends threw for him after the Bubbler incident, this was the first time Adrien had been invited to something so big and..._

 _Fun._

 _Marinette ran through the door just as Nino finished giving Rose a big hug._

 _"Sorry, I'm late!" The dark-haired girl quickly squeezed her friend. Rose excitedly assured her that she was on time and not everybody was present. The birthday girl left, leaving Alya to pat Marinette's back._

 _"What's the excuse this time?" The redhead smirked._

 _Marinette rolled her eyes. She had a reputation for not showing up on time. Everyone knew this. The girl was full of excuses, but nobody ever really questioned her about them._

 _She couldn't explain that Tikki had somehow managed to get caught in the tape they had been using to wrap Rose's birthday present. Marinette had to be extra careful of not hurting the little kwami as she peeled off the tape._

 _"I was wrapping Rose's gift."_

 _It technically wasn't a lie. Marinette didn't feel as guilty this time when giving her excuse._

 _"At least you're here now. That's all that matters," Adrien came to Marinette's side, placing a hand on her shoulder. The girl blushed, feeling the immense heat coming from the very place his hand was resting on._

 _"H-hi, Adrien—!" She teared up as she bit her tongue._

 _From the corner of her eye, she saw her best friend silently shake. No doubt about it. Alya was trying to hide her snickers. Nino gave a somewhat sympathetic look. Adrien, however, didn't seem to notice what had happened._

 _"Shall we go greet everyone else?" He looked at his friends. They nodded in response, Nino casually taking his best friend's side and Alya taking hers._

 _The four of them found their assigned seating at the table. Luckily, they were all seated at the same table. Sitting with them were Alex and Mylène. After Rose's dad had given his speech—earning a few tears from Rose's mom and Kim (guess who took longer to stop crying)—the music started up again and everyone filed to the clothed tables where trays of food were coordinately placed. Marinette watches as Adrien's eyes twinkled._

 _"Dude...you're drooling," Nino scolded._

 _"What? No," the blonde boy wiped his chin, scowling at his chucking best friend when he found no trace of saliva._

 _"Marinette, **you're** drooling," Alya elbowed her._

 _Marinette panicked, covering her eyes and turning to face Alya. She was thankful Adrien didn't catch her staring. However, her best friend's eyes were too sharp._

 _"What's this little thing?" Adrien held up a small, round pastry._

 _"That's a bomboloni. It's a small doughnut," Marinette took one from the platter._

 _"Bombo...?"_

 _"Bomboloni. They're Italian doughnuts. This is a mini version of it."_

 _He took one bite of the pastry, then stuffed the entire thing in his mouth. His lips turned upward into a big grin._

 _"Do your parents make these, Marinette?" Adrien looked at her._

 _"Y-yeah. Only occasionally though. They make cakes and other pastries more. B-but if you want, I could always make them for you!" There was an added nervous "hehe" at the end of her words._

 _"You can bake?" His eyes widened._

 _"Of course she can! This girl does everything: cook, bake, design. She can easily save the world if she wanted to," Alya jumped in and placed an arm around the girl's shoulder._

 _Oh, Alya. If only you knew._

 _"That's amazing, Marinette," Adrien placed a hand on her shoulder, "you really can do everything."_

 _Marinette hoped her grin didn't look as goofy as she pictured it in her head._

 _The rest of the evening was filled with laughs and smiles. Marinette was happy for Rose; she was enjoying herself to the fullest. She had started opening all her presents towards the end of the night. The best present, though, was a CD that Juleka had given her. When she ripped open the wrapping, Rose did everything she could to contain her excitement. When people questioned her about what was on the disc, all Juleka did was turn red and looked away._

 _Marinette couldn't help but noticed how fascinated Adrien was the whole time; how much fun he wholeheartedly was having. It was the first time she saw him let loose, dancing— **awkwardly** —to the music._

 _She remembered coming home with a full grin as she fell asleep, tired from the day's events._

...

"Marinette?"

The young woman blinked, "yes?"

Adrien's eyes were fixated on the melting ice cream cone she held in her hand. Marinette let out an incoherent noise as she held the cone away.

"C-calm down, I have a napki—" Adrien's hand stopped midway from his jeans' back pocket. His eyes trailed Marinette's tongue as she licked the melted, white cream running down the back of her hand. When she finished, she looked at her hand with a grimace.

"I think I'm gonna go wash this off. The stickiness is bothering...me..." she trailed off.

Adrien wasn't looking at her. His head was turned in the opposite direction. She could faintly see the red creeping onto his ears.

"Adrien?"

Before he turned to her, he stuffed his almost-finished ice cream cone into his mouth. Her blue eyes widened, stunned. So that gluttonous habit of his hadn't died. He pointed to a direction, urging her to follow him.

Marinette did just that. She was curious as to what he wanted to show her, and why he wasn't saying anything or why he wasn't looking at her.

 _Oh my gosh, does he think I'm disgusting?! I knew I should've taken some napkins! Marinette, you must've looked like a pig._

While Marinette mentally rebuked herself, Adrien had climbed a tree and was picking something from the branches. When Marinette snapped out of it, she had lost sight of him.

"Wha—?!" She whipped her head around in search of her blond companion.

"I'm here!"

She paused. She wondered if she misheard the direction where the voice came from.

"Look up!"

Nope. She had heard right. Slowly, she looked up, seeing Adrien sitting on a burly tree branch, holding a handful of cherry blossoms.

Cherry blossoms.

She hadn't even realized he had led her to the _Jardin des Plantes_. He was waving down at her. Marinette had never seen such an angelic scene before. She turned her gaze away to the surrounding area. _Mon Dieu_. It was beautiful. Everything was in the midst of blooming; there was barely anyone around. She wanted to savor the moment. As she was caught up in the scenery, a light rain of pink petals came down on her. She placed her hands out to catch the falling petals.

"What are you doing?" she giggled.

"Making it rain," he joked.

"Goodness, that was horrible," Marinette laughed.

She looked up at him. He was giving her an expression that she couldn't decipher. She couldn't look away, and she was sure he couldn't either. There was something in the air. There was something in the atmosphere. Something that incited a nervous yet soothing feeling in her heart.

And to be honest, she didn't mind at all.

…

When she came home, Marinette immediately took to her sketch pad. She grabbed a few colored pencils and began brainstorming ideas for a new dress. In actuality, she just wanted something to distract her from her thoughts. Tikki had set herself down on the desk next to her sketch pad, looking at Marinette curiously. The young woman tried her best to ignore her kwami's peering dark-blue eyes.

"Marinette..."

"..."

" _Marineeeeette_..."

Her voice trilled more with each call. Marinette reached for the headphones that were laying on her desk. Tikki immediately blocked her reach.

"Tikki!"

"Talk to me! I'm trying to talk to you. You're being rude!" She scolded.

"I already know what you're going to say," Marinette groaned.

"Isn't this a good thing? You missed him, didn't you?" She cut right to the chase.

"I-I suppose... I don't really know, Tikki. It feels really nice to see him again but I also get this twist in my stomach whenever he looks at me."

Tikki puts a hand to her chin, "Doesn't that mean you like him?"

"I think it's more complicated than that," Marinette sighed into her palm.

Did she really still like him? She was sure she had moved on. Spending the day with him had confirmed it. She wasn't as nervous; she was able to hold her ground and keep up with him. But if that's so, then why does it bother her so much when he actually looks at her...with such a soft expression?

"Things are only complicated if you make them complicated," Tikki stated softly.

Marinette managed out a weak smile. Tikki had been with her for a long time, it was natural that she'd know what was going on in her heart even if Marinette herself didn't.

She began drawing again.

"You're gonna be seeing him more now."

"Yay."

"You'll be working with him!"

"Awesome."

"..."

"..."

"...you gave him your number, didn't you?"

And that got a reaction out of her. There was now a pencil line from the middle to the edge of the page. The day's events had started to play in her mind.

Before they parted ways, he had grabbed her arm. She was surprised that he was flustered when she turned to look at him.

 _"U-um, I just wanted to say that it was really nice to see you again."_

 _"I-it was nice to see you too, Adrien..."_

And then he thrusted his phone towards her, a little too rashly.

 _"It's...easier to keep in contact...if I have your number..."_

With shaky fingers, she typed her number into his phone and named herself as "Marinette *heart*" in his contacts. She felt a little playful and wanted to tease him when she typed it in. To her surprise, he didn't change it.

But maybe he didn't pay attention to it.

"It's for work," she erased the deep mark she accidentally left.

"Yes, sure. Just for work then," Tikki decided to play along. She knew Marinette was too stubborn to actually admit anything even though Tikki knew she was right. Marinette couldn't hide anything from her.

Marinette was about to say a snarky remark to her tiny companion when her phone vibrated. She looked at the unknown number with confusion before her heart skipped a beat. She quickly slid the 'unlock' button over on the screen and clicked on the messaging app.

 _'Hi Marinette! This is Adrien *heart*'_

A smile creeped onto her face. She knew it. She picked up the phone to reply, but not before he sent another text.

 _'FYI. That's how I want it saved on your phone. I won't accept anything less *angry face*'_

His message had painted her cheeks a pinkish tint. Her fingers hovered over the screen as she thought of what to write.

 _'Should I always add the *heart* whenever I write your name then?'_

The 'delivered' stamp immediately turned to 'read.'

 _So he had the read receipts on._

Her heartbeat quickened as she saw the ellipses appear, telling her that he was already typing his response.

 _'That would be absolutely clawsome ;)'_

Her body went rigid.

Did Adrien just make a pun? On top of that...a _cat_ pun?

 _'I never knew you were one for puns.'_

His reply came as quickly as her text was sent.

 _'I thought it sounds cool.'_

Right. There's no way he could possibly be that certain someone she knew... She decided to send a reply before her thoughts confused her further.

 _'Maybe to Chat Noir'_

 _'Chat Noir is cool..'_

 _'Right...he's pawsitively irresistible.'_

 _'Did you just make a cat pun?'_

 _'Who says you're the only one that's allowed to be punny?'_

 _'I think I'm in love.'_

Marinette dropped her phone, cheeks flaming red.

 _Bzzt_.

She cautiously checked the screen, letting out a breath as she reads the text:

 _'With the puns.'_

She found her breath returning to normal speed, fingers typing away.

 _'I thought you were gonna say me ;p'_

 _'Lol. Sorry. I'm in love with Chat Noir.'_

 _'I never knew you swung that way.'_

 _'Really? You just didn't pay enough attention to me ;)'_

She rolled her eyes. If only he knew that all of her attention was on him whenever he was in the room. If only he knew she paid attention to everything: from his beautiful sun-kissed hair to the loose thread on his favorite button down shirt...

 _'I always had a feeling you and Nino were together...'_

 _'Geez. And we thought we were slick with it too...'_

She giggled into her palm.

Hours passed by without her realizing. By the time midnight arrived, she had fallen asleep with her cellphone in her hand. During the midst of their texting spree, Marinette had moved to her bed. Tikki chuckled to herself as she looked at the peaceful face of her chosen. No matter how much she tried to deny it, she still had a love for the young man. The kwami flew over to the drawer Marinette dedicated just to her and retired for the day.

In the silence of the night, Marinette's cellphone vibrated one last time, causing the young woman to stir but not disruptive enough to wake her up.

 _'Good night, **princesse** '_

* * *

 _Jardin des Plantes - "Garden of Plants"_ ( _French_ ); the Jardin des Plantes is a botanical garden located in France. It is part of the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle and is situated in 5ème arrondissement, Paris.

 _Mon Dieu_ \- "My God" ( _French_ )

 _princesse_ \- princess ( _French_ )

* * *

 _ **A few notes...**_

For some reason, it won't let me put the less than symbol (whenever I save, it disappears and only shows the '3') so I can't do the heart sign by using normal emoticon text. Instead, I resort to writing _*heart*_ whenever they're typing a heart to each other :3

I know that this was a short chapter and nothing important really happened...but I want you guys to think about the whole reason why I wrote it like this. It was about Marinette's feelings and the **slight discord** that she's experiencing with her reunion with Adrien. I wanted to show that in this chapter. That's where the focus of this chapter was.

Okay, I'm now moving onto chapter 5. I actually started it yesterday night but I haven't gotten far.  
Please be patient with me! D:


	5. Feelings

Forgive me for being gone for a year.

And forgive me for such a short update.

* * *

 **V. Feelings**

It was no use. He couldn't focus on the exam sheet in front of him. All he could do was think about the two unread messages that were on his phone. His right pocket was itching his leg.

"Is something wrong, Mr. Agreste?" The professor, a slim middle-aged man with a face like Prince Charming (the reason why that class was full of females), approached. People that were sitting around him looked towards their direction. The philosophy professor peered curiously at the young man's blank sheet of paper.

"N-no..." Adrien couldn't find any other words. What would his excuse even be?

"Mind over matter, Agreste," he said as he walked back towards his desk.

Adrien sighed. His professor was right. Right now, he had to focus on what was most important.

And that's somehow answering all 20 philosophy questions in the last fifteen minutes of class.

...

"You are really hooked, aren't you?"

Plagg took a bite into his Camembert cheese as Adrien absentmindedly stirred his bowl of soup.

"It's just been a while since I've seen her."

Plagg snorted. Adrien didn't understand what was funny about what he had just said, but he didn't feel like asking the dark kwami.

He checked the screen of his phone. He had replied to Marinette's texts as soon as he got out the door of the classroom. She had sent him a picture of the coffee art of her cappuccino, and wished him 'good luck' on his exam. He still hasn't gotten a message back from her.

 _She's probably busy_ , he thought.

"Aren't you meeting up with Nino later?" Plagg asked after stuffing the last bit of cheese into his mouth. Adrien laughed at the sight of Plagg's cheeks doubling in size.

"I am," he nodded, "he said he had something to show me."

"Ooh~ I wonder what it could be." The kwami's face lit up in a mischievous grin.

"Who ever knows with Nino?" He said as he gathered his stuff.

Nino was always someone very unpredictable to Adrien. While it was easy to see what his best friend was feeling, it was hard to know what he was thinking.

...

"No way!" Nino slammed his hand onto the table.

Adrien flinched slightly, before backing up from his friend.

"I can't believe you've gotten closer to Marinette within the two days you've met with her again than in our entire four years of high school." He bursted out laughing.

"It's not really that funny." Adrien sighed.

"Yeah, man. It actually really is." Nino took off his glasses to wipe his eyes. "I guess now the four us can hang out again."

By 'four,' Adrien assumed he meant the two of them with Alya and Marinette.

 _Wait..._

"What do you mean? Why couldn't we hang out before?"

Wasn't it always because Marinette was always busy and couldn't make it?

His friend gave him a serious look.

"You can't be seriously thinking it was always cause she was busy, right? Adrien..."

"Well, I am serious cause I've always assumed that was why." He wasn't sure why, but he was getting really tired of all the allusions.

"Adrien, Adrien, Adrien..." Nino shook his head.

Okay, now he was annoyed for real.

 _Bzzt!_

He jumped a little when he felt the vibration inside his pocket. Not listening to whatever his best friend was saying, Adrien casually took out his phone.

Marinette.

He opened the image file she sent him. The picture showed the runway with a few models standing around. Adrien figured she was really excited to be up and close to the stage.

"Is it Marinette?"

"No."

"Man, don't lie to me. There's this goofy smile on your face." Nino folded his arms.

"Okay, I lied," Adrien admitted. "But you're gonna go on and on about this. It's not a big deal that we started talking again."

Okay, he was definitely lying to himself at this point. He even felt Plagg stir in his shirt pocket.

He didn't think he would be, but seeing Marinette actually made him more happy. For reasons unknown, he looked forward to her texts and to seeing her around his father's institute. He was just...happy to be in her presence.

He watched as a weird smirk appeared on Nino's face. Before he got the chance, Adrien asked, "What was it you wanted to show me anyway?"

He regretted it once the smirk grew into a grin.

"We are going to the gentlemen's club."

...

"Won't Alya be mad?"

Adrien watched as Nino adjusted the bow tie around his neck.

"Alya and I aren't a thing. _Elle n'est pas ma petite amie_."

Adrien was aware that he and Alya were always on and off. Although he knew that Nino really liked her a lot, he also knew that Alya was the type to expect the most out of someone and Nino just wasn't satisfying her.

"I feel weird, Nino." Adrien confessed. He wasn't sure why it was bothering him so much, but the idea of going to the gentlemen's club made him feel guilty. The club itself was perfectly modest. It wasn't an indecent place–not what most people think it is–but it served as a second home for most of its male members. From the homey ambiance to the fun activities provided for them, it was understandable why most of them never want to leave.

Adrien perfectly understood this. After all, he used to be one of them.

But now...

 _Wait, why am I feeling guilty?_

He feels Nino's hand on his shoulder.

"What's up? We've been going to this place since we were 18. You've never had a problem with it until now."

"I'm just not feeling like it. Every time we go, we would always stay for at least two days..." Adrien frowned.

"Man, we don't have to. You can stay however long you like. Go home whenever you want." Nino informed. He crossed his arms. "What's really the deal?"

Adrien was silent for a while. His mind flashed back to the last time they were there. Back to the moment he found that a woman had snuck into the club. Back to the moment he—

"Look."

Adrien blinked, startled. "What?"

"If you really don't want to, we don't have to go." Nino turned his attention to his phone.

Adrien thought about it. He knew bailing on Nino would be the first thing on his 'Never To Do' list. But he really didn't feel like going. There were just so many reasons that were stopping him from going. For one, what would Marinette say if she—

 _WHOA. What?_

The blond scratched his head. Why did she even pop up? She shouldn't have even been a factor in this.

By this point, Adrien was suffering from a lot of confusion. He was thankful Plagg was asleep.

He's sure the little kwami felt his befuddlement.

"I'm going."

...

He regretted it the minute he stepped foot into the building.

"Whisky?" Nino held a square glass towards him.

"You're going to give me alcohol poisoning." That was his third glass.

Adrien wasn't a lightweight, but he knows he couldn't hold as much liquor as Nino could.

Hell, even Alya could outdrink him.

Nino noticed that his friend wasn't having a good time. He knew that Adrien was reluctant but he didn't know that he was going to be such a bore. He figured that once they got to the club, Adrien would be his usual charming self.

Boy, was he wrong.

"I see Doctor Jackal over by the blackjack table. I'm going to say hello. Try to smile, dude. At least correct your face a little."

Adrien grunted in response. Seeing his sullen face, Nino felt bad.

"We'll leave as soon as I finish talking to Jackal. Promise." He firmly patted Adrien's shoulder. Adrien gave him a small nod in response.

Great. Now he Adrien ruined his friend's night. He wasn't sure why. He just wasn't into it tonight. There were other things he could be doing.

Adrien was about to take out his phone until he remembered he had left it at the front desk. This club had a strict policy of no cellular devices. The goal was for the gentlemen to mingle and focus on the company they could see. Having cell phones hindered the entire process. They weren't allowed to have their phones on the main floor. He never minded before but it irritated him this time for taking away his one source of wanted entertainment.

Heaving a sigh, he headed towards the bar to return his almost empty glass. Adrien was starting to feel the effects of the drinks. He regretted not stuffing his face before they went out.

"Adrien?"

The familiar voice sent a chill down his spine. His arms caught goosebumps and suddenly all the memories started to run through his drunken mind.

He rubbed his eyes.

"It _is_ you."

The voice was getting closer.

The world seemed to move really slowly as the person came into his blurred view. They were dressed in a suit and tie. Their hair was short, black.

It wasn't like how he remembered.

"Isa—"

And then he felt something soft swiftly covering his mouth.

* * *

 _Elle n'est pas ma petite amie_ \- "She isn't my girlfriend" ( _French_ )


End file.
